Propeller-adjusting device.



PATBNTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

W. E. BLAIR. PROPELLBR ADJUSTING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 18, 1907.

2 SHEETS-BKPETI.

mum H I- I h ih I: h.

PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

W. E. BLAIR. PROPELLER ADJUSTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION II'LIID MAR. 16, 1907.

2 SHEETB-BHEET 2.

Mam/W 7H5 maxim PETLKS 110-. WASNIhGTON. b. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. BLAIR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BUFFALO GASOLENE MOTOR COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

PROPELLERADJ'UBTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Application flied larch 16, 1907. Serial No. 882,880..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I WILLIAM E. BLAIR, a citizen of the United tates, residing at Buffalo in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Propeller-Adjustin Devices, of which the following is a speci lcation.

This invention relates to a pro )eller adjusting device for boat motors suc as that shown and described in Letters Patent No. 840,719, dated April 9, 1907.

'lhe object of this invention is to improve the construction of the propeller ad'usting device shown in the above mentioned application so as to permit of operating the same more easily.

In the accompanying drawin s consisting of. 2 sheets: Figure '1 is a si e elevation partly in section, of my improved adjusting device applied to the reversible propel er of a marine gas engine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a ragmentarp vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of t 1e adjusting device arranged in a position reverse of that shown in' Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken in line 5-5, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A represents an upright marine motor or gas engine which may be of any suitable construction and provided with a longitudinal horizontal drivin shaft a in its lower part.

B represents the hollow hub of the propeller which is connected with the rear end of a hollow propeller shaft b. The rear end of the engine shaft and the front end of the propeller shaft are connected by a hollow coupling C.

1) represents the ropeller blades which are journnled on the. rub and provided within the latter with crank pins or wrists d which are engaged with a longitudinal movable shifting head I).

F represents a shifting sleeve which is movable lengthwise on the engine shaft and o mratively connected with the shifting head it b means of a cross headfmovable axially in t w. hollow coupling two shifting rods g, 9 connecting the ends of the cross head with the shifting sleeve and mssing through the coupling (.1 on up msite sides of theengine shaft and a central :4 iifting rod 0 connecting the central part of the cross head and the shifting head and extending through the ho]- low propeller shaft, these parts being 'all of well known construction.

H represents an upright adjusting shaft journaled at its lower end in a hearing it formed on a bracket h which is secured to the lower part of the engine frame and operatively connected with the shifting sleeve F by means of a shiftin rin I surrounding the latter between two s \oulilers thereon and a rock arm J secured to the lower part of the adjusting shaft and operatively connected with the shifting rin Upon rocking this adjusting shaft towar either side of its central position the pro eller blades are turned in one direction or t 1e other and cause the boat to move either forward or backward but when the adjusting shaft is in its central position, the propeller blades are so turned that they are neutral and have no propelling effect.

h represents a bearing in which the adjusting shaft is journaled near its upper end and which is formed on the upper end of an inclined bracket h secured at its lower end to the adjacent upper art of the engine frame. At its upper cm the upper hearing it is provided with an annular flange M which contains a plurality of screw threaded openings m arranged end-distant and circumferentially around tie adjusting shaft.

N represents a supporting head or date which is mounted on the upper end of the bracket h so as to be capable of circumferential adjustment around the adjusting shaft. For this purpose the head N is provided with an opening 1:- which receives the upper end of the shaft H and a plurality of openings n which are adapted to receive bolts or screws m entering the openings m of the flange M. These screws m and open ings m, 11. are preferably arranged on the four quarters of a circle so that the head and parts mounted thereon may be shifted into our different positions relatively to the adjusting shaft to suit different conditions, but if desired these screw openings may be of a different number and spacing.

0 represents a vertical couulcr shaft which is journaled at its lower end in a bearing 0 on one side of said an )porfing head parallel with the adjusting sha't. Above ifs bearing the. counter shaft is irovided wilh a small gear segment 0' which is preferablv formed integrallj' with the eouuler shaft. The ('ollnf-el' for till

shaft is held a ainst vertical movement in its hearing by the ear segment engaging with the upper on of the bearing 0 and a screw nut 0 applied to the lower end of said shaft and engaging with the lower end of its bearing, as s own in Figs, 1 and 3.

P re )XOSGXItS a large gear segment which is SQGtlIGt to the adjusting shaft above the supporting head and meshes with the small gear segment 0. The lar o gear segment is capable of being adjuster cireumferentially on the adjusting shaft to suit the position of the counter shaft relative to the adjusting shaft, the adjustable connection for this purpose consisting preferably in making that mrtion of the adjusting shaft above the read square or of other flat sided form, as shown at and engaging the same with a correspondingly shaped opening in the hub of the lar e segment, and a screw nut 2 applied to tlic upper end of the adjustin shaft and emerging with the upper end of the hub of the arge segment.

Q represents a band lever which is secureil to the upper end of the counter shaft and preferably projects toward the adjustin shaft over t ic top of the supporting hem The hand lever is connected with the counter shaft by providing its lmb with a square or flat-sided opening which receives a corresiondingly shaped part ofthe counter s raft above its gear segment and a clam iing screw nut (1 applied to the upper end of the counter-shaft and engaging with the upper end of the hub of the hand lever, as shown in Fig. 3.

It represents a locking segment arranged between the under sideof the hand lever and the upper side of the supporting head and on that side of the adjusting shaft opposite the counter shaft. As shown in Fig. 3, the locking segment is formed integrally with the supporting head but if desired the same may be made separate and secured thereto.

5 represents a locking pawl or dog which is guided in a way a on the underside of the haml lever and vieldingl v held in engagement with the teeth of the locking segment by a spring 8.

u is a locking lever pivoted on the underside of the hand lever and connected bv a rod c with the locking pawl.

Upon releasing the locking pawl from the locking segment the hand lever may be turned horizontally which movement is transmitted at a reduced speed from the counter shaft to the adjusting shaft. by the intermeshing large and small gear segnients. ltv this means an increased leverage is obtaincd which enables the propeller blades to be adjusted more easily than is possiblef when the hand lever is connected directly I with the. adjusting shaft.

hen it is desired to change the position of the hand level relative to the adjusting shaft so that it rejects either forward, back-- ward-or lateral y therefrom or to suit the location of the motor on the boat, the structure of the boat or other conditions, this can be. done by disconnect-in the large gear segment from the ad'usting sliaft and the supporting head from the bracket and then re-connee'ting said arts after the hand lever, the sup- )orting M] and parts mounted thereon have been shifted into the required position.

I claim as my invention:

1. A propeller adjusting device comprising a main driving shaft, propeller l)lfl.t es adjustably supported on said main shaft, a shifting rod movable lengthwise of the main shaft and operatively connected with the propeller blades, a main adjusting shaft arranged at an angle to the main driving shaft and adjust-nu rod and operatively connected with said rm a counter shaft arranged parallel with the. main adjusting shaft a large gear secured to the main ad usting shaft, a. small gear secured to the counter shaft and meshing with the large gear, and a. hand lever connected with the counter shaft, substaie tially as set forth.

2. A propel er adjusting device. comprising an adjusting shaft adapted to be. operativcly connected with a propeller, a counter shaft, intermeshing gears secured to said adjusting and counter shafts, respectively, a hand lever connected with said counter shaft, and a supporting head which is adjustable circumfercntially relatively to said adjusting shaft and which is provided with a bearing in which said counter shaft is journaled, substantially as set forth.

3. A propeller adjusting device comprising an adjusting shaft adapted to beo a-ratively connected with a propeller, a counter shaft, intermeshing gears secured to said adjusting and counter shafts, respectively, a. hand lever connected with said counter shaft. a. bracket having a. bearin in which said adjusting shaftis journale-(l: and a supporting head so cured to said bracket so as to be capable of circumferential iuljustment around said adjusting shaft and provided with a bearing in which said counter shaft is journaled, substantially as set forth.

4. A propeller adjusting device comprising an adjusting shaft. adapted to be opcralivclv connected with a propeller, a counter shaft, intermeshing gears secured to said adjusting and counter shafts, res wctivcl a. hand lever connected with said counter shaft, a bracket havinga. bearing in whichsuid ad'nstingslmft is ournalcd, a supporting head secured to said bracket so as to be capable of circumferi enlial iuljustmcnt around said adjusting shaft, a hearing which is arranged on said head on one side of said adjusting shaft and l in which said counter shaft is 'ournaled, 2.. locking segment arranged on said head on flulopposite side of said adjusting shafl, and n.

llll

lilo

locking awl mounted on said hand lever and adapte to engage said locking segment, substantially as set forth.

5. A propeller adjusting device com rising an u right adjusting shaft, a counter s aft, a small ear segment arranged on the central part 0 the counter shaft, a large gear segment meshing with the small gear segment and adjustably secured to the upper end of said adjustin shaft, a bracket having a bearing in whic the ad'usting shaft is journaled, a supporting hea adjustably secured to said bracket and having a bearing in which the lower end of the counter shaft is j ournaled, a screw nut applied to the lower 15 end of the counter shaft and enga ing with the lower end of its bearin a hand ever connected with the counter s aft above its gear segment, and a screw nut applied to the upper end of the counter shaft and engagin with the upper end of the hub of the ham lever, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 12th day of March,

WILLIAM E. BLAIR. Witnesses:

CHAS. S. ALT, L. A. FISCHER. 

